Accessing Rehabilitation Services: A Challenge To Overcome

Rehabilitation is essential, yet not affordable. Rehabilitation is a core health strategy, along with promotion, prevention, treatment, and palliative care. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines rehabilitation as ‘a set of measures that assist individuals who experience, or are likely to experience, disability to achieve and maintain optimal
functioning in interaction with their environments’.

(i) Rehabilitation is beneficial to many people with a wide range of health conditions at various stages of their lives, as well as to many persons with disabilities.

Anyone may need rehabilitation at some point during their lives. Between 110 million and 190 million adults have significant difficulties in functioning

(ii) and 92% of global diseases are related to causes that require health professionals who are specialised in rehabilitation.

(iii) Due to demographic changes, including an ageing population, increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases and injuries, the need for rehabilitation is growing.
Yet, rehabilitation services are often under resourced, undeveloped,(iv) and their financial coverage is highly variable or absent in most low-income countries.

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